Popping in to collect my Bad Blogger award...

It's over half way through 2018, and I've blogged a total of five times. And I don't even remember the last time I made a scene...

Life's got in the way (thankfully, in a good way). Since the beginning of this year, I've

• changed jobs (within the same, awesome, team I've been in since the beginning of 2016, but in an expanded role. But I've still had to getting to grips with expanded duties)
• accidentally bought my first home (two years earlier than planned).

I'm excited about my new home (I think), but I've been dealing with the fact that it's tenanted until the end of 2018: and there's been some issues with the notice they've been given (now all sorted, thankfully). But that meant that for a few months I was living in a situation where I was packing in case they gave a couple of weeks' notice to move (not fun when you're packing a place you've lived in for almost 20 years...).

I realise that during this time I completely forgot to blog my trip to this year's Sydney Miniatures & Dollhouse Fair (although I did post in Instagram). So finally (and belatedly), here's what caught my eye...

This chap was on Kim Murdoch's stall and I thought encapsulated our feelings just before the door to the show opened (I was fortunate enough to gain early access this year, even without having a stall or an official position on The tiny Times).

A peek into a secret garden made by members of the Miniature Makers and Collectors club.

Long-time readers may remember Div Williams made and displayed a 3/4" scale model of Rose Seidler House back in 2008/ 2009. This year at the show she displayed another model of it: this one in quarter-inch scale:

There were a few gardens in the Miniature Makers and Collectors club display that caught the attention of my camera. This Japanese one:

this one, which felt to me like it was in Bali:

and this poor chap:

Lidi Stroud was displaying Willunga Cottage, based on a real-life cottage in South Australia (I believe she's planning a class on how to build one...),

She was also displaying her completed Venetian building: which I thought I'd blogged as a work in progress previously, but can't find: so suspect it was in The tiny Times instead...

(I have photos of the interior but for the sake of actually getting a post published, I'll find and publish them later).

And then there's her other build, Flourish & Blotts:

I don't know who made this workshop scene, which I had to take a photo of because I'm a sucker for well-used workspaces.

Another Kim Murdoch doll, in a build by Cassandra Stevens. Another one I know I photographed previously, but obviously for The tiny Times, not here...

And this chap on the roof felt just like I think most of us felt by the end of the day!

So,what came home with me?

First up, I was delighted that Minis by Twinmum had remembered a conversation we'd had at the 2016 show, where I'd said one of my holy grails still unrealised in miniature was a Philippe Starck Bubu stool, which perhaps her 3D printer could magic up for me

She gave it* to me for free, because she said she wasn't able to get a 'decent print'. I didn't really care as it was at least the right scale.

(*Yes, there was more: keep reading to see just how generous she was to me, and how happy that made me feel).

Speaking of free, this chap was one of my first acquisitions, from a freebie box:I was delighted by my discovery and decided there and then that there was quite a story attached to the chap: I just had to find out what it was and build a scene around it.

Later in the weekend I weakened and bought this lass from the same stall: as I was sure that they belonged together (and for $2 for both, who was I to quibble?)

And here's the full recap of what I brought home with me. And which I am looking forward to playing with once life settles down...

1. The black and white edit
Including two Philippe Starck Prince Aha stools from Minis by Twinmum...

2. The yellow and orange collection
More Prince Aha stools (gifted) and retro kitchen cannisters (bought) from Minis by Twinmum. Our lass, a piece of modern art (which by now I can't remember where I got it but it was either cheap or free), a French feve and a bottle and glasses of red wine (because I always need glasses of wine!)

3. Got the blues
Art, Sebel chairs, and retro kitchen cannisters bought from from Minis by Twinmum.

4. Black and gold
Because you know how I like these colours combined...

5. Kits
Yes, I bought another tray kit, plus the latest from JWT Dollshouses and Miniatures. When I'll get to them, I don't know.

6. Treasures
I prevaricated about both of these for almost the whole weekend, but am glad I decided to buy them.

The box is by Alan Waters. The metronome was (I thought) Petite Princess but now I'm not so sure.

Nevertheless, I am in need of a metronome, so this will do.